Commentary on the Gospel of
Koan of Faith
Every truthful guru will teach you that authentic religion is paradoxical in its practice, koan-like. It destroys our common sensical safety-first approaches to life and burns the bridges on both ends as we pass. Look at the first reading today: God places before us two options: life and death, and he invites us to choose life. But what he leaves unsaid, or rather, leaves for Christ to clarify through his word and deed, is that the only way to choose life is by choosing death! The Son of Man will die only to rise again into life. And if anyone wants to follow Him, she or he must deny oneself, lose life, embrace death, so as to find life in is fullness. The more we cling to life, greater the danger of losing it permanently. What you let go, comes back to you, more intimately and permanently than ever.
